Chapter 36: Windsom.
(Arthur Leywin)
Standing on the edge of the entrance that led to the teleportation portal, I stood still. The unexpected turn of events had left me reeling, struggling to process what had just occurred.
Arisu was never the one to be predicted that easily. Even I had to think of multiple probabilities to actually know what she was going to do. While I was aware of her feelings that had begun to change drastically after my regular visits to her room at night over the course of our multiple games of chess and plannings for the incoming war, I never predicted her to act like this.
Her departure in the carriage that had brought us here was a poignant reminder of the distance that now lay between us.
With a hand pressed against my cheek, I continued to gaze in the direction of her departure until the carriage was no longer visible. It was then that her words echoed in my mind, "Marked... me... huh?" The ambiguity of her statement left me with more questions than answers.
The surroundings provided no solace either, for I found myself surrounded by a dense forest of towering trees whose branches intertwined to form a canopy that barely let any sunlight penetrate through as only a few streaks permeated through them.
As I stood there, lost in thought, the sound of rustling leaves caught my attention. Turning my head, I saw a small creature darting through the undergrowth, its sleek body barely visible amidst the shadows. I shook off the sense of unease and took a step towards the teleportation portal. Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the portal, feeling a sudden rush of energy course through my body as I was whisked away to my next destination.
The presence that I always felt around me, probing and observing me, felt even nearby. The warping space around me changed, the sequence of transportation disrupted as I was detracted from my current destination. The damaged, tunneled teleportation phenomenon came to an absolute halt as I found myself falling down. Being a white core, I was able to land on my feet deftly, but I looked around quickly.
The one who was observing me was finally showing itself. The fact that I didn't bring Sylvie with me seemed like a correct decision after all.
A tactile veil of mana spread out from a single source as it extended and weighed down on my shoulders. Like a titanic mountain being placed on my shoulders, I felt the full weight of the intent from the individual. Using a veil of mana of my own, I resisted it as I stood up, my back straight.
"Dawn." I whispered as the tether of connection between Dawn and me tightened. She didn't appear from my dimensional storage ring, but she remained ready to attack at command. Any sort of hostility from the individual and Dawn was allowed to attack.
"Interesting. You are able to stand up despite being a lesser." A sudden, gruff voice said followed by the subtle echo of boots against the smooth marbling of the separate space I had arrived in. The environment changed completely, replaced by a lustrous white light in all directions.
Lesser.
A term once uttered by Sylvia but she soon hid it, not wanting to say it in front of me.
So, it was true. He really is a dragon. And from what I see, dragons see humans as a race inferior to them.
"A dragon?" I spoke to myself.
"Oh, so you are aware. By my friends and brethren, I go by Windsom. To you, lessers, we are what you have deemed as deities."
"Deemed? Are you not?" I asked, keeping my back straight and my eyes dead set on him.
He was a tall man with military uniform, cropped blond hair and galaxy-like eyes.
"There are no deities in this world. Only asuras." He replied, a minute, barely noticeable change in his voice.
No deities in this world. There was a certain premonition that his words carried, like a thought that took place in my mind and placed an imprint on it.
"What do you want from me?" I asked, my hands dangling on the either side, as I remained ready to respond to any hostile action from him or the one that was around us. He hadn't made his presence known, but I could feel him. Someone, who was a hundred times stronger than Windsom.
"A war is coming. But you might be already aware of it." He said, placing his chin on his index and thumb.
"So, you were the one watching me?"
His eyes widened as he looked at me in a mix of surprise and disbelief, "You have keen perception. No lesser, even the revered lances can't detect my presence," he paused as he looked at me from up-to-down, "You might have already met Lady Sylvia since her... will resides in you. She must've really trusted you to give a part of her very soul to you." He said and his expressions softened at the name of Sylvia. "However, you have yet to know the position of her. She was the princess of the Indrath Clan, the only child of the King of All Asuras, Lord Kezzes Indrath."
Kezzes Indrath. I knew she would be a high ranked individual but the princess of the ruling clan? Things keep getting more and more troublesome.
"My question wasn't to tell me the grandiose stature of your lord. What is it that you want from me?"
I could see a vein pop on his temple, but he let out a cough as he regained his composure, "Lord Indrath has taken interest in you as he has been personally observing you for some days now. You are hereby ordered to handle your things here and come to Euphotus as quickly as you can." He said and the veil of pressure from his mana increased, his eyes carrying a look that wasn't ready to take a "no" for an answer.
"Why?"
"To train. For the coming war. You might be the strongest individual on Dicathen right now, but you are still far from adequate. You have not a single idea for what is coming for you, the extent of danger that looms over your necks like a Guillotine," he paused and extended his hand towards me, "Come with us, to Euphotus---the land of asuras. You will be trained personally by the best. For your own peaceful life and those who you love." He said, a smirk slowly creeping his way up to his lips.
"Even if I reject, what will happen?"
"We have to forcefully take you to Euphotus. You are a piece in this war that we can absolutely not afford to lose or remain weak. "
I remained silent for a few seconds before replying, "I have a few things to take care of. Give me a few days and I will be ready to go." I said as he nodded.
"Three days. No more than that." He said, putting three fingers in front of my face. A portal appeared behind me as he motioned, "The portal will lead you to the Kingdom of Elenoir. I say this for your own benefit, get rid of the dead weights."
"Are you calling Arisu a dead weight?"
"Not her. But the others."
"I have nothing to do with them."
"And it should stay that way." He said and before I could reply, amongst a flash of white light I found myself in a familiar location.
"Piece... me? There seems to be a misunderstanding it seems like." Going out of my way to gradually advance and gain power. I did it all because I could get into contact with Sylvia's kin. There was a lot I could learn from the asuras. And my long-awaited plan had finally came to fruition. Looking around, I immediately recognized where I was.
The Forest of Elshire.
A place of enchanting beauty, a haven for those who seek to escape the noise and chaos of the city life. As I entered the forest, I was immediately struck by the towering trees that surrounded me, their lofty branches reaching towards the heavens as if trying to touch the very sky itself. The canopy that formed above me was a sight to behold, a vast expanse of greenery that seemed to stretch on endlessly. The leaves of the trees were a deep emerald green, their glossy surfaces reflecting the dappled sunlight that filtered through the branches above. The air was alive with the gentle rustling of leaves and the sweet, earthy scent of the forest floor covered in foliage.
The trees were colossal, their trunks as wide as houses and their branches thick with foliage. They towered above me like ancient guardians, standing watch over the tranquil world below.
The sky above was a perfect azure blue, the few white clouds that dotted the horizon only added to the beauty of the ambiance. The sunlight that streamed down through the branches cast intricate patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor, a mesmerizing dance of warmth and color.
Everywhere I looked, there was beauty to be found. Delicate wildflowers sprouted from the mossy ground, their vibrant petals a stark contrast to the muted greens and browns of the forest. Beams of sunlight danced along the surface of a nearby stream, sparkling like diamonds in the light.
The forest was alive with the sounds of nature, the gentle chirping of birds and the distant chatter of animals echoing through the trees. The occasional rustle of leaves signaled the passing of a small creature, its form fleeting and mysterious. As I gazed up at the canopy above, I felt as though I was standing at the foot of a great cathedral, a place of worship and reverence for the natural world.
"Arthur Leywin?" A voice asked.
Looking to my right, I saw a woman wearing a maid dress. She was an elf---evident from the long ears.
"Yes?"
"The king and the queen await you in the castle." She said and motioned for me walk alongside her.
There was a certain unease inside me. There were a lot of things to take care of. First of all, I needed to make sure that the beast core I gave Tessia was functional with no impairments. Since, giving her a corrupted beast will, will gradually lead into her being an exploitable pawn.
There was a long queue. Merchants, adventurers and other businessmen were pouring into Elenoir, after the annexation and formation of The Council.
Cutting through the line, I didn't have to wait with others as I was escorted directly to the Royal Castle. On the way a man tried to pick up a fight because I wasn't waiting in line like them. Luckily, I didn't have to do anything since I was introduced as the guest of royalty, making the back off and not cause more trouble.
We continued to walk but my mind remained fixed on all of the events that had happened today.
My training in Euphotus, my absence around my family, the beast core project that I had started and finally... Arisu.
(*****)
Author's Note
I wanted to post chapters based on reception, but I suddenly felt like challenging myself and wanted to start a streak of daily uploads. The criterion of reception still applies. If the reception waver, I will end daily upload. Until then, I want to see how long I can keep the daily uploads coming!
See ya all tomorrow!